The Festival Of Lights

"Wake up, wake up! it is the festival of lights!" Dominic said as he jumped on his parents bed and started shaking them violently.

"I am awake, please don't shake me." James said as he was half asleep.

" You are not awake yet, your eyes are not open." He said as he continues to shake them which led to Joy waking up looking a bit annoyed. "

" Don't disturb your father and i! Go to your room now! " Joy said as he lowered his head and walked away.

" Come back here my boy, let me talk to you." he said as Dominic ran to his father's side and got carried up.

" This is the festival of lights and no one can be seen sad, do you understand me?" He said as he tickled him.

" Yes father, i won't be sad but mother shouted at me." He said after he was no longer being tickled.

" Don't worry she was just angry about waking up so early, right my love?" He said as he looked at her and she nodded her head in approval.

He then ran to her side and hugged her as she carried him, kissed him and dismissed him as he ran to his room a delighted child.

After a few minutes, James and Joy came out of their room and prayed to the gods asking for a successful day. Immediately, they got to work and James helped Joy with some of the work while Dominic helped with the little jobs like cleaning and dusting. After they were done, they all went to bathe to prepare for the light festival morning prayers. After they were done and dressed in their white robes, James prepared their Chariot and Joy and Dominic got in.

"Don't you think that it was about time that we got a servant to work for us?" He said as they started moving.

" I don't know about that, you tell me." She said to him.

" Don't worry, i will ask Hector if the slave traders are coming to Fadian and i will get one to work for you."

After some time, they got to the prayer ground and they went to take their positions as the priest made some announcements introducing some dignitaries before the prayers. James and his family were called up to the area where dignitaries were staying. He was walking up to the place when Varlom stopped him.

"James come with me, i have to show you something." He said as James told his family to go to the platform to wait for him.

"What is the issue this time?" He said as they got away from the prayer ground.

" Look at this, these are mutilated body parts of Father Ugu." He said as he showed him the mutilated body parts which made him to go back in shock.

"How do you know that it is Father Ugu's body parts?" He said.

"Because Benard said it in his letter and his ring is also here." He then showed him the letter and the ring. James then took the letter and after reading it got furious and threw the letter on the floor.

"Benard is a mad man and will pay for all these things that he has done!" He exclaimed as he broke down in tears.

" It is okay, everything will be okay."

" This was a man that helped us whenever we needed him without caring about his safety. Without him, i would probably not have been alive and standing here with you."

Varlom then continued comforting him and soon he stopped crying and went back to the ground. Joy noticed something different about his face and asked if there was any issue but he said that there was none as the prayers commenced.

After the prayers, she still asked him concerning his disturbed face but because he didn't want to ruin the festive mood, he said that it was just some Snake army scares and nothing more. They then went to greet many of the dignitaries who attended. As they were still greeting, they heard a scream as there was commotion below them. James then ran down to see what was happening but everyone was running away. He then grabbed one of the people running.

"What is happening and why the commotion?" He asked

"Benard is here sir. Please let me go." He begged.

Immediately, he was hit on the head with a metal rod and he fell down weak. He then saw the Snake army all over the place. He tried to stand up but was very weak. He then saw Joy and his son being taken away by the Fadian soldiers.

After struggling, he managed to stand up and saw a sword lying on the floor and picked it up. He then noticed that everyone was standing in one place as the Snake soldiers surrounded them and he was where Benard was standing.

"Well i never thought that Fadian would be this easy to get into. I guess it was just overrated." He said with a smirk as he looked at James and kicked him to the floor as he laughed.

"You can't succeed here Benard, you made a big mistake. The Fadian army will be here any minute from now." James said as he was kicked again and he groaned.

" Why don't you shut your mouth up eh." He said as he picked up the sword James was holding. He then approached the people of Fadian who have been surrounded by the Snake soldiers and started observing them closely while walking round and suddenly, a man ran from behind and smashed a stone on the back of his head. Benard fell and immediately the man started pummeling his face with the stone which made the Snake soldiers to attack and a fight broke out between the civilians and the Snake soldiers. James immediately joined the fight and after a few minutes, the Fadian army also joined.

James then saw a little boy who was looking for cover and he then took the boy away from the scene after fighting some Snake soldiers and kept him in a little inn. As he was going back to the battle, he saw Cletus running towards him looking a bit battered.

"So you were already in the battlefield huh?" He asked.

"No James, Benard's men attacked i and Ashra on our way while coming from your home last night."

" I hope Ashra is alright?" He asked as he grabbed his shoulder.

" Yes she is brother and there is a battle we have to fight ahead of us so let's go." And immediately, they both ran to the battlefield and continued the fight. Many of the civilians we're led away as a result of the arrival of the Fadian army and this battle lasted for hours.

After some time the fight still endued and in a flash, there was a loud bang and fire was seen consuming the various structures in the city and it was spreading very fast towards them and everyone started running away from the fire. James and Cletus then saw Benard running from the fire too and they attacked him and captured him after some struggle. "You are going nowhere you scum." James said as he tied him up.

" We will still succeed and you will watch it." He then let out a loud laugh as he was carried away. The Snake soldiers ran in an opposite direction to avoid the fire.

"How did this fire start from nowhere?" James asked as he handed Benard to the Fadian soldiers.

"Well most likely, the Snake army caused it because they knew that they were about to loose." Cletus said.

As they were still thinking, a man came to their camp and said that he was looking for James and James confirmed his identity. The man then gave him a letter and ran off.

James then opened the letter and read it aloud.

"Good day James, I know that you must be wondering who sent you this letter and why but what I am about to tell you is very important and if you listen to what I say, you will save a life or more.

I am a Snake soldier by the name of Thomas and I want to tell you that Benard is not with you and that one there is the fake one and just a lookalike. If you think I am lying, cut a part of him off and watch him bleed to death. This was all a plan by Benard to distract all of you from the fact that he is probably on his way to the palace right now after passing through the gates after the fire outbreak which he caused. You need to inform the King to leave the palace or he will be killed by Benard and he will take over. I hope this message gets to you safely." 

" Why will a snake soldier want to help us? What if this is just a plot by Benard to catch us unaware?" James asked.

Immediately, the Fadian soldiers grabbed the Benard they were holding and one of them stabbed him on his chest and within minutes, the fake Benard died.

"This is not Benard sir, it is a fake one like the letter said." One of the soldiers said as they took the dead body away.

"There is no time to waste, Benard is probably on his way to the palace and we are still here." Cletus said as he picked up his bow and arrows and the rest of the soldiers stood up and they started moving towards the palace which was close to where they encamped originally and so they got there very fast.

Immediately, the gates of the palace we're opened to them and the soldiers stood around the palace to guard the King as James and the rest went into the palace to inform the King who was in his room about the impending danger. They were immediately ushered into his room.

"What brings you to my place? I hope the people are safe from the Snake soldiers and the fire?"  He asked in a concerned tone.

" Yes sire, we have secured every person we could reach." The commander said.

James then told King Esiarp about the letter and Benard's plan to kill him and immediately, they heard noise outside and saw people fighting.

"I guess they are here already." Cletus said as he brought out his bow and arrows and started shooting from the windows at the Snake soldiers while James and the rest of the soldiers guarded the King from all sides.

After some hours, they heard footsteps approaching the door of the king's room and everyone drew their swords waiting for anything that will come.

"Relax, Benard could not defeat us and he has been chased out from Fadian alongside his men!" A voice said from outside. One of the men opened the door and a soldier came in looking triumphant and everyone was happy that the King was safe.